1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an automatic vending arrangement for the sale of newspapers or periodicals.
Arrangements of that type which are also designated with the terminology such as apparatus for the dispensing of newspapers, newspaper vending automats or newspaper dispensers, have been known for a considerable period of time. However, the fact that this type of automatic vending machine which has been developed to a high degree of sophistication for the dispensing of beverages or other objects which are in daily use, has not been successful and leads to the conclusion that either the manipulation, the dependability during operation or both in combination are inadequate to satisfy either customer or vendor requirements.
An obvious difficulty which is encountered in the automatic vending of newspapers, periodicals, brochures, catalogs, or other folded paper articles, such as shopping bags and the like, consists of in that these articles of sale possess large dimensions in comparison with the thickness of the material. For example, known newspapers of a usual format of 47.times.33 centimeters are singly folded in height when they are placed on sale. The nature of the thin paper leads to that the individual sheets can be easily displaced relative to each other. Thus, when such a large-sized pile of papers is now displaced through an automat to such an extent whereby a sufficient area projects out of the housing to allow for the gripping thereof, on the one hand, this will then require a clamping pressure so that the pile of loose sheets can be displaced as an entity and, on the other hand, there should be produced the least possible friction between the remaining stack and the newspaper being dispensed such that the dispensing of one copy cannot cause damage to the subsequent copy.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
From German Laid-open patent application Ser. No. 2 034 661 there has become known that newspapers within a housing which are stacked on a plate which is upwardly pressed through springs can be retained at a rear portion which is located remote from a delivery slot in the housing by means of a braking element, and wherein the uppermost newspaper can be pushed through the slot by means of a stationarily supported roller arranged proximate the dispensing slot and which is set into rotational movement through the action of a lever. The roller is provided with needle points and extends over the entire width of the newspaper. An obvious disadvantage consists of in that the roller must concurrently form the counterforce for the springs for the elevation of the plate so as a result in a squeezing of the newspaper whereby the newspaper will more likely be opened at the fold than be pushed out of the slot as an entirety.
This disadvantage is obviated by the disclosure of German Laid-open patent application Ser. No. 2 503 596 in that not only the plate on which there rests the stack of newspapers is pressed resiliently upwardly, but wherein the dispensing arrangement is also displaceable in such a manner that the plate, the support for the dispensing arrangement and the stack is resiliently balanced such that the uppermost located newspaper is maintained at practically a constant level. Furthermore, means are provided through which the uppermost newspaper is engaged from below when effecting the dispensing. Moreover, there are also provided striker bars against which the stack is pressed by the action of the springs. This will obviate the disadvantage of requiring the dispensing rollers to provide the counterpressure for the springs. However, the construction of the dispensing arrangement which is required is quite complex when considering the different sequences of motion which must be effectuated by the only short linear movement of a handgrip.
Heretofore, when the newspapers were located on a horizontal plate and slid outwardly in a horizontal direction, as indicated in German Laid-open patent application Ser. No. 2 553 309 had also become known that the newspapers could be stacked vertically. By means of a resilient back sheet metal plate and a contact pressure arm, the newspapers which are located behind a bar are pressed against a contact pressure plate, so as to thereby deflect. Upon the actuation of a handgrip, a first element which is provided with gripper needles is moved upwardly so that the newspaper is raised above the bar and can extend itself due to gravity. Thereby, the newspaper is positioned above the dispensing slot and is conducted into the dispensing slot by the downwardly directed movement of a second element which is similarly provided with gripper needles. On the one hand, this will not ensure that only one newspaper will be raised above the bar which, moreover, is arranged at a fixed distance relative to the contact pressure plate. On the other hand, it is known that at opposite movements with tiltably supported gripper elements it is not always ensured that the gripper element will dependably release. If this is not the case, then at least the one sheet of the newspaper will be torn.